We were in Columbus for the Origins Game Con up the street and decided to venture a bit beyond the usual North Market/ Convention Center area restaurants to try something new. I'm really glad we did!
As a midwestern transplant who grew up eating awesome Mexican in Las Vegas I jump on every new place with the potential to satisfy my never-ending craving for the good stuff. And now, at 8 months pregnant, my desperation has reached near-epic levels... so much so that even a restaurant named after the most boring city in California piqued my interest. (Seriously guys? Bakersfield? What were you trying to evoke, middle-of-nowhere-dullsville?)
I found the environment simple and attractive, though I could see how it might get cramped at night/ on the weekends/ as a bar. Luckily we were there for lunch on a Sunday, so we avoided the problems mentioned by other Yelpers. Got a table right away, service was great, and there was no line for the bathroom (very important when there's a baby squashing your bladder). Sadly, margaritas are a no-go for the next few months, but they looked soooo good. Isn't that always how it works when you can't have something?? They did have grapefruit Jarritos, so that was some small compensation. (The beer selection was pretty good too, fyi.)
We started with the chips and guac, and while I usually don't care for the chunky-style, this was so tasty that I didn't mind. The flavor was excellent- fresh and bright- and the chips were warm, crispy and perfectly salty. I tend to push all the onion bits to the side when I eat guac (annoying, I know), so perhaps the chunkiness just made it easier to dig them out? In any case, I kept mixing it with the (delicious) salsas- a roja and a verde- and could have happily enjoyed a meal of just chips and guac. But then I would have missed the excellent tacos!
Between three of us we ordered at least one of each type of taco, and I tried all of them. The tortillas were spot-on-- perfect flavor, perfect texture. They should use two per taco, though, so they don't bust open. Five of the eight tacos had to be eaten with forks or fingers off the platter because the torts had split. A bit of advice for those who are not fans of raw onions: don't avoid the pickled red onions! The taste and texture is nothing like you expect. They're softer, sweeter, and a little tart-- lacking the sharp pungency and crunchy bug-like texture of raw white onions. I had to talk my daughter into trying them, but she agreed they were a nice contrast with the rich flavor of the mole.
Here's my taco ranking, in order of tastiness:
Rajas-- Classic after-school-snack taco. It's hard to go wrong with chilies and cheese. I put extra of the roja salsa on this, and ordered a second one. I love me some poblanos.
Fish-- Crispy fish, yummy sauce, and made even better with added salsa and guac. The slaw was pretty wet, and the tortilla was sopped through, but it was otherwise delicious... and made with cabbage! Fish tacos are a favorite of mine, but 9 out of 10 restaurants screw them up. Mayo? Soggy fish? Iceberg lettuce?? Boo! But Bakersfield did fish tacos justice-- they tasted like Baja.
Short Rib-- These lived up to the hype for me. Moist, tender meat with excellent flavor. I skipped the raw onions and asked for extra radish (for crunch). Adding jalapenos would have made this even better.
Cochinita Pibil-- I suspect this one is delicious with the habanero salsa... but I had to skip it, sigh. The pork was moist, with a nice grassy flavor and a strong hit of achiote. In fact, the pork was so good I think this taco would be best with minimal toppings. Just meat and cheese, or just meat and salsa, to let the pork and spices shine. Maybe the pork on a tostada with some lime crema?
Mole-- I love all varieties of Oaxacan mole, and this did have a nice flavor, but it was missing something. Depth? Heat? Richness? I think that (since Bakersfield seemed to be aiming for authenticity) I was hoping for something closer to a rojo or chichilo mole, and got the more common (in the states) and sweeter negro mole. My daughter really liked it, though, and if I had been able to load it up with the "house pickled jalapenos" it probably would have moved up to third.
Pastor-- The pork was very good, but I skipped the raw onions and I think that threw off the balance of flavors. The pineapple sweetness needed something to push against. Again, jalapenos would have helped. Darn preggo heartburn!
Pollo Roja-- This one was just ok for me, but hubby and daughter loved it. The guajillo salsa was yummy (and if I had tried this taco first I would have asked for extra for the fish taco). But the chicken was kinda dry and didn't have much flavor.
Huitlacoche-- Not bad, but not awesome either. Needed a lot of salsa, or maybe more poblano, to amp up the flavor. It makes a pretty decent vegetarian option, but I would opt for the Rajas over this one every time. read more